About the Deep Peace Trust

Animals, Arts, and Peace

Rebel. Revere. Disrupt. Pioneer.

The Deep Peace Trust is a visionary, pioneering social change charity with a passion for a new story for the world — one of deep peace for all species. A world where animals and nature live as the sovereign beings they once were, and always were meant to be. A world where all the co-habitants of Earth live together in harmony with mutual respect and reverence. Where humans engage in benevolent mutual stewardship for the present and for future generations.

Through teaching the timeless wisdom of the ancients, telling evocative stories and poems, and through video and photographs, we blend arts, education and compassionate action with our positive advocacy, offering impact through insight and making kindness and compassion to all beings the norm.

The Deep Peace Trust was also set up to support a sacred sanctuary, based on ancient spiritual principles, offering safety, peace and rehabilitation to its hundreds of farm animal and equine residents and also offering protection and refuge to an abundance of wildlife, and wild animals needing safe harbour. The Trust currently cares for around 500 souls – cows, sheep, horses, goats, geese, cats and dogs, making it the largest in the southern hemisphere.

Set on a sprawling acreage in southern NSW, often hidden by mists, the Deep Peace Farm Animal sanctuary, A Place of Peace is unique in many ways.

Co-founder Billie Dean is the only known vegan animal shaman in the world. She uses her gifts of telepathy and healing for animals, alive and in spirit, and has done so for over 40 years. Traditionally a shaman is one who speaks with all of life, including the rivers, mountains, earth, wind, trees, animals and spirits. They also bridge the worlds and the unseen realms for the benefit of healing. Billie is an innate shaman and in another culture would have been picked out by the Elders to train. Instead, she had to find her own path, studying with shaman and druids around the world. After helping animals globally, for decades, she today uses her skills to create a high frequency place of safety, comfort and peace for animals, which also dents the unified field in the way of subtle activism.

At the Deep Peace Farm Animal Sanctuary:

Residents are treated as sovereign beings which means nothing happens without their permission. This gives them freedom of choice in every decision.

Residents live in very large paddocks as naturally as possible.

Residents live wild and free in precious family and social groups. This provides happiness and security to both mothers and children, creating a peace that is not only palpable but ripples. By disrupting the pattern of separation and trauma, we set down new tracks and make it so the old pattern starts to crumble. We believe in the right of all mothers to keep their children and note how animal families stick together even in adulthood. We also note how life bonding takes place.For example our first rescued Brumby Finn eventually settled with brumby Cinnamon and they have been together for over a decade. Gelding is a discussion with Billie pointing out the benefits of being able to run freely with the ladies and staying forever with mums. Finn made his decision so clear that when the vet arrived he walked up to this complete stranger and took being handled with no fuss, having been formerly aggressive to the natural horse trainers who initially trapped him. before he found sanctuary. He never showed any aggression at A Place of Peace and to this day is still living happily in a big herd with Cinnamon as his chosen mate.Another story is about “meat” cow Bessie, rescued heading to slaughter when she was pregnant. Bessie was young and had a very difficult birth, because she knew what would happen to her son if he was born. There was no vet assistance that night so a nearby farmer was called to assist. Blessed was born with a swollen tongue due to being stuck for so long. Would he survive? Bessie was a wild cow, who had never been handled in her life. How was this going to go.? So Billie brought out the Arnica for Blessed’s swelling, and asked Bessie if she would let her milk her so her newborn son would survive. Bessie did. Billie milked her for three days until Blessed’s mouth returned to normal, mother and son bonded and they lived happily ever after.. The farmer was incredulous because.. you just dont milk a wild meat cow without getting kicked to smithereens. He learnt something. This was also incredibly healing for Bessie who got to keep her precious son who is still, years later, by her side. The pattern of abuse was definitely broken. Animals never forget their children and love them deeply. At A Place of Peace even pregnant wild cats who are captured and brought into the home, get to live with their offspring forever, safe and warm by the fire. Animal contentment and peace is a priority.. and families are so important in a picture of peace.

We are currently exploring pioneering regenerative land practises, using the animals living naturally, to improve the soil over time. People currently doing this are usually farmers who send animals to slaughter. We aim to show how keeping animals for all of their natural lives, can benefit the land, and the human heart and soul. Some people think that “if animal products aren’t used, there will be no more animals”. We are demonstrating that beyond the importance of sharing our planet with other species, is the idea that these animals can help repair human damage to the land and environment, just by being themselves. This is green sustainability through benevolent stewardship, co-creation and harmony with all life .. seen and unseen.

The sanctuary currently is home to 55 horses, both wild and domestic, none of whom are ridden or used in any way. This again creates a peace among the herds, and this peace is palpable. We observe wild horses in their social groupings and use this for their advocacy. Billie’s work has been made into a film shown around schools.. Brumbies running free at A Place of Peace. She has also contributed to a book about brumbies and magazine articles.

The sanctuary is run on holistic principles of healing with the animal’s emotional needs taken into account. Billie uses homeopathy, herbal medicine, diet, shamanic healing, therapeutic ois, acupressure and other methods tailored to the individual’s needs.. Vet and farrier services are also used.

Residents also receive hospice care,, nursing, and shamanic counselling for a conscious crossing for their unique soul journey and transition.Billie also teaches a class in Conscious Crossing for humans and animals and is a trained Death Doula.

Out of respect to the residents, there are no open days for the general public. Strangers with agendas create tension among the residents, most of whom haven’t been treated by humans well, before they arrived in sanctuary. We believe in letting them live their lives in peace .. which is the whole point of sacred sanctuary .. their private home. We do however have irregular volunteer working bees.

It is hoped that A Place of Peace can eventually be a model embraced by farmers making a vegan transition. We want to encourage others to embrace a regenerative farming model that works for the animals as well as the land. The current disconnect, made worse by the current drought, is that farmers simply sell off their animals to slaughter before the going gets tough. To this end Billie is also working on a creative social change project that she hopes will speak to farmers in a gentle and inspiring way.

How You Can Help

The Deep Peace Trust and it’s Farm Sanctuary is run solely on donations, and Billie and Andrew’s own earnings. All proceeds of Billie’s books, classes, Cds etc go to the sanctuary. Due to the high cost of climate change, urgent financial challenges must be faced. Last winter, due to intense fund raising efforts, Billie and Andrew were able to keep the sanctuary and wildlife going through obtaining semi trailer loads of hay from all over Australia. These cost from $20,000 to $25,000 a month. There was no government support and no transport subsidy. This year, hay is already being rationed and its not even winter. Many local suppliers are out of the hay the sanctuary requires. Farmers in the district are selling their animals because of the high cost of hay. So urgent support for this unique sanctuary is needed for those semi trailer loads to feed the large animals who are dependent on hay due to on going drought. Please consider doing some fund raising. Consider becoming a monthly donor. Small or big, know your donation will make a huge difference. This is what is urgently needed right now.

Volunteers are also needed. It takes a community to care for a village.. especially through a long-running drought. With Billie, Andrew and their adult daughter Tamsin doing the on the ground caring, people are needed for other roles.. like the securing of grants, the pushing of on-line fundraisers and other advocacy events. Volunteer working bees are also needed at the sanctuary. They have been put on hold due to the lack of water but you can always register your interest and be notified when the next one is being held.

“Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.” —Albert Schweitzer

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The Billie Dean Deep Peace Trust is registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission (ACNC). Charitable Fundraising Number CFN/22658 and CFN/22666.